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Band of Brothers

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Band of Brothers is an acclaimed ten-part television miniseries about World War II, co-produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. Much of the action of the mini-series centers on the exploits of Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, U.S. 101st Airborne Division and one of its early platoon leaders, Lieutenant Richard Winters (later Major Winters). It is based on a book of the same name written by historian and biographer Stephen Ambrose.

The events portrayed in the mini-series are generally historically accurate and are based on Ambrose's research and recorded interviews with Easy Company veterans. All of the characters portrayed in the mini-series are based on actual members of Easy Company; some of them can be seen in prerecorded interviews as a prelude to each episode. The mini-series first aired in 2001 on HBO and is still run frequently on different channels.

Contents

Awards

The series was nominated for 19 Emmy Awards, and won six, including prizes for "Outstanding Mini-Series", "Outstanding Casting for a Mini-Series, Movie or a Special", and "Outstanding Directing for a Mini-Series, Movie or a Dramatic Special". It also won a Golden Globe for "Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television", an American Film Institute award, and was selected for a Peabody Award for "...relying on both history and memory to create a new tribute to those who fought to preserve liberty." It also won a 2003 Writers Guild Award (Television, Adapted Long Form) for Episode Six (Bastogne).

Synopsis

[Spoiler warningSpoiler warning]: Plot and/or ending details follow.
Alternative poster for Band of Brothers
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Alternative poster for Band of Brothers

As an outline synopsis, the episodes in the series are as follows:

  1. Currahee (directed by Phil Alden Robinson) — Easy Company undergoes paratrooper training at Camp Toccoa, Georgia. The major characters are introduced, particularly Lieutenant Dick Winters and Lt. Lewis Nixon. The episode focuses largely on the men's reaction to Captain Herbert Sobel, the egocentric and harsh original commander of Easy Company. However, Sobel's leadership during training exercises leave the men uneasy about following him into battle. The NCOs, in an act of mutiny, say they no longer wish to serve in Easy Company. As a result the regimental commander, Colonel Robert Sink, removes Sobel as company commander and replaces him with Lt. Thomas Meehan. At the end of the episode, the company is shipped to England and prepares to drop into Europe as a part of the Operation Overlord D-Day invasion.

  2. Day of Days (directed by Richard Loncraine) — D-Day arrives and Easy Company participates in the Battle of Normandy, including the Brécourt Manor Assault. With the loss of Lt. Meehan, Lt. Winters assumes command of the company during the assault. The episode ends with Winters and Nixon looking on at the bombardment of their next objective, Carentan. This episode is shown mainly from the perspective of Lt. Winters and shows his attempt to reach his assigned target after being dropped several miles off course.

  3. Carentan (directed by Mikael Salomon) — The 3rd episode begins with Easy Company taking the French town of Carentan. Easy Company then moves east of the town to form a line of defense. After the counterattack is repelled, the Company is moved off the front lines, and returns to England. This episode is shown from the perspectives of Private Albert Blithe, who struggles with fear and feelings of letting his compatriots down, and Lt. Welsh, who becomes one of the most valuable leaders of the company. The episode ends with Pvt. Donald Malarkey picking up his laundry from one of the local women, who inquires about laundry not yet picked up by some of his comrades — men who will never return to England, let alone pick up their laundry.

  4. Replacements (directed by David Nutter) — Back in England, Easy Company gets green replacements; Winters, now a captain, leads the company as it is air-dropped into the Netherlands in support of Operation Market Garden. The episode is shown mainly from the perspective of the new men, as well as the perspective of Sgt. "Bull" Randleman who is missing in action and takes shelter in a barn surrounded by German forces, before making it back to Easy Company in the morning.

  5. Crossroads (directed by Tom Hanks) — Still in the Netherlands, Easy Company takes on a German offensive, told in flashback from the perspective of Winters, now battalion XO. Easy Company is taken over by Lt. Heyliger then Lt. Dike.

  6. Bastogne (directed by David Leland) — Easy Company is holed up near the Belgian town of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. This episode is shown from the perspective of Tech. 5 Eugene Roe, one of Easy company's two medics.

  7. The Breaking Point (directed by David Frankel) — Illustrates the stress felt by the men during the fighting in and around the town of Foy, Belgium. This episode is shown from the perspective of First Sergeant Carwood Lipton. Capt. Ronald Speirs becomes Easy's new CO when Lt. Dike breaks down during the assault on Foy.

  8. The Last Patrol (directed by Tony To) — Easy Company pushes on to the town of Haguenau. This episode is shown from the perspective of David Webster and a replacement lieutenant (played by Colin Hanks, son of the executive producer, Tom Hanks). Winters is promoted to Major, Lipton is commissioned a 2nd Lt.

  9. Why We Fight (directed by David Frankel) — Easy Company crosses into Germany and discovers a Nazi concentration camp near Landsberg.

  10. Points (directed by Mikael Salomon) — Easy Company captures Hitler's Eagle's Nest and contemplates a possible redeployment in the Pacific Theater. The war ends and the men of Easy Company return home. This episode is shown from the perspective of Major Winters.
We Stand Alone Together (directed by Mark Cowen) is the companion documentary to Band of Brothers, featuring detailed interviews with the real members of Easy Company.

Historical Errors

Comments

This series can be considered as a by-product of the Steven Spielberg film Saving Private Ryan. Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks agreed to produce the series, with HBO as a partner. The film crew started immediately after finishing Saving Private Ryan, already on location. The series was filmed at Hatfield, the same place where most of Saving Private Ryan was filmed. The BBC, while officially credited as a co-producer, essentially only pre-purchased the series, albeit for a considerable price.

A new miniseries from the creators of Band of Brothers named the "The Pacific War" began production in 2005.

The title

The title for the series and the book on which it is based comes from a speech delivered by Henry V of England before the Battle of Agincourt in William Shakespeare's Henry V; Act IV, Scene 3:

And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember'd;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.
([King Henry, V.iii])
The expression was also used by the British Admiral Horatio Nelson to refer to his council of Captains (aboard his flagship), whom he encouraged beyond common practice in his day to be assertive and take initiative.

Main cast

For most of the main characters, actors who resembled their real-life counterparts were cast if possible.

See also

External links

 

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